Chair arm



March 1 1950 BELL 2,500,398

CHAIR ARM Filed April 16, 1948 IN V EN TOR Patented Mar. 14, 1950 UNITED STAT T OFFICE The present invention relates to improvements in chair arms and has particular reference to the chair arm used in connection with heavily upholstered easy chairs, although it may readily be used in other connections.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a chair arm of the character described, the upper surface of which is stepped so as to present an upper step adjacent the chair occupant and a lower step toward the outside of the chair.

It is further proposed in the present invention to use the lower step for the support of a shelf which is reversible on the step in such a manner that in one position it contours into the general outline of the chair arm, while in a reverse position it projects sidewise beyond the arm to furnish a relatively Wide supporting surface for various articles and utensils.

In carrying out this object of the invention it is further proposed to provide a shelf that is wider than the step and the excess width of which is accommodated inside of the chair arm in one position, while in reverse position the excess width projects sidewise beyond the chair arm.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds, and the novel features of my invention will be fully defined in the claims attached hereto.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a chair having my chair arm embodied therein, with the shelf in a position where it contours into the general outline of the chair, Y

Figure 2, a fragmentary view of the same chair with the shelf in reverse position,

Figure 3, a Vertical section through the chair arm,

Figure 4, a fragmentary section similar to that of Figure 3, with the shelf in reverse position, and

Figure 5, a section taken along line -5 of Figure 3.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, I wish to have it understood that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims attached hereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the chair I may be generally made along conventional lines and comprises in its principal features a pair of spaced arms 2, a seat 3 having a cushion 4 5) Claims. (Cl. 155-191) thereon and a back 5, all the parts being preferably heavily upholstered as indicated in the drawing.

My invention is particularly directed to the construction of the chair arms 2, each of which is made in the form of a box comprising a base 6, an inner wall I, an outer wall 8 of a height somewhat less than that of the inner wall, and end walls 9 rising in their outer portions to the height of the outer wall 8. The upper edges of the end Walls and the outer Wall 8 are suitably tapered as indicated at ill. The inner wall has an overhang H projecting outwardly therefrom to a point substantially midway of the width of the arm, and a riser l2 projects downwardly from the outer edge of the overhang as shown particularly well in Figure 3.

The upper edges of the end members 9 are stepped, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to provide outer steps [3 on a level with the upper edge of the outer wall 8, and raised sections IE on a level with the overhang H, the raised sections paralleling the riser l2. The bottom edge of the riser I2 is somewhat higher than the upper edges of the lower steps l3 and the outer wall 8 to provide a clear horizontal space for operation of the shelf l5.

The latter shelf is reversibly supported on the lower steps l3 and on the outer wall 8. It is wider than the steps, and when it is supported in the manner shown in Figure 3 the excess width projects inwardly beyond the riser l2. That portion of the shelf overlying the steps I3 is upholstered as at It, the upholstery being anchored against a cleat ll and being made to bear against the bottom edge of the riser l2 so as to hold the shelf against further inward movement. In this position the upholstery is presented above the shelf and naturally contours into the general outline of the chair arms.

The shelf may be bodily lifted out of its place and reversed in the manner shown in Figure 4, in which the excess width of the shelf projects outwardly beyond the outer wall 8 as shown in the same figure. In this position the shelf is supported on the and members and the outer wall 8, and inward movement of the shelf is prevented by a cleat is which bears against the lower edge of the riser 12. When the shelf is presented in this position the upper face is clear for receiving various articles within convenient reach of the chair occupant.

Suitable upholstery may be applied to various portions of the chair in any manner desired.

In use the shelf [5 may be applied to rest on 3 the steps in the manner shown in Figure 3, in which the upholstery of the shelf blends into the general structure of the chair, or it may be reversed in the manner shown in Figure 4 to provide a shelf of considerable width for the convenience of the chair occupant.

I claim:

1. In a chair of the character described, a chair arm comprising a pair of end members formed with registering steps, and a shelf reversibly supported on the steps, the shelf bein made to come flush with the outer edges of th steps in one position and to project beyond the said edges in reverse position.

2. In a chair of the character described, a chair arm comprising a pair of end members formed with registering steps, a riser connecting the end members behind the steps, and a shelf removably supported on the steps and having upholstery on one face thereof located for positioning the shelf with respect to the arm when the upholstery is pushed up against the riser.

3. In a chair of the character described, a chair arm comprising a pair of end members formed with registering steps, a riser connecting the end members behind the steps, and a shelf removably supported on the steps and having upholstery on one face thereof located for positioning the shelf with respect to the arm when the upholstery is pushed up against the riser, the shelf being Wider than the steps and being made to project inwardly beyond the riser when the upholstery contacts the riser.

l. In a chair of the character described, a chair arm comprising a pair of end members formed with registering steps, a riser connecting the end members behind the steps, and a shelf removably supported on the steps and having a stop on one face thereof located for positioning the shelf with respect to the arm when the stop is pushed up against the riser, the shelf beingwider than the steps and being made to project outwardly beyond the steps when the upholstery contacts the riser.

5'. In a chair of the character described, a chair arm having a ledge presented outwardly in the upper surface thereof, and a shelf reversibly sup ported on the ledge, the shelf being wider than the ledge to provide excess width, and having means cooperable with the arm for presenting the excess width inside of the arm in one position and outwardly of the ledge in the reversed position.

6. In a chair of the character described, a chair arm having a ledge presented outwardly in the upper surface thereof, and a shelf reversibly supported on the ledge, the shelf being wider than the ledge to provide excess width, and having means cooperable with the arm. for presenting the excess Width inside of the arm in one position and outwardly of the ledge in the reversed position, the said means comprising upholstery on one face of the shelf and a stop cleat on the other face of the shelf.

'7. In a chair of the character described, a chair arm comprising a pair of end members formed with registering steps, a riser connecting the end members behind the steps, and a shelf reversibly supported on the steps for occupying either a normal position with one face presented upwardly or a reversed position with said face presented downwardly, and having means cooperable with the riser for positioning the shelf in either normal or reversed position.

8. In a chair of the character described, a chair arm comprising a pair of end members formed with registering steps, a riser connecting the end members behind the steps, and a shelf reversibly supported on the steps for occupying either a normal position with one face presented upwardly or a reversed position with said face presented downwardly, and having means cooperable with the riser for positioning the shelf in either normal or reversed position, the shelf being wider than the steps to provide excess Width and the positioning means being made to cause the excess width to project beyond the riser in normal position and beyond the outer edges of the steps in the reverse position.

9. In a chair of the character described, a chair arm comprising a pair of end members formed with registering steps, a riser connecting the end members behind the steps, and a shelf reversibly supported on the steps for occupying either a normal position with one face presented upwardly or a reversed position with said face presented downwardly, and having means cooperable with the riser for positioning the shelf in either normal or reversed position, the shelf being wider than the steps to provide excess width and the positioning means comprising upholstery on one face of the shelf located to cause the excess width to project inwardly when the upholstery is pushed up against the riser with said face presented upwardly and a stop on the reverse face of the shelf located to cause the excess width of the shelf to project outwardly when the stop is pushed up against the riser with the latter face presented upwardly.

JOSEPH D. BELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the his of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 140,524 Taylor Mar. 6, 1945 343,265 Bean June 8, 1886 950,441 Ekstrand Feb. 22, 1910 2,386,092 Cornish Oct. 2, 194 5 

